Brian ‘Spuddy’ Rickman with the call

"And they're off!"

That is the signature phrase of Brian Rickman as he unhurriedly eased into another day of horse racing commentating at the Portmore-based Caymanas Park.

Rickman, who has been calling races at the track for the past four decades, had been to Caymanas Park only once before his towering journey began in 1979.

Spuddy, as he is widely known, grew up on Eastwood Park Road in St Andrew, where he attended Robertson's Preparatory.

"I walked to school; it was right across from my house. I never liked school, dem used to have to tie me up and carry me over there. School wasn't my thing," the sportsman said.

From Robertson's Preparatory, Rickman went to Calabar High, a school he left in fourth form after his parents decided to cart him off to Munro College in St Elizabeth and later DeCarteret College in Manchester in the hope that he would attain good passes in the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level examinations. He didn't do well.

He had early thoughts of becoming a lawyer but his grades were not good enough to get him into university. He landed a job as a salesman in 1970s. Not long thereafter, he was discovered by Chris Armond, who placed him under starter's orders.

"Myself and his cousin were very good friends and I said to him that I'd love to earn some more money. He said 'Chris is looking for somebody to help him in the box, do you think you can do it? I said I have no idea because I've only been to the racetrack once and I have no idea about it. So, he spoke to Chris and Chris took me in from there," Rickman explained.

Through that unexpected opportunity, he began working in the commentator's box that year; first as Armond's assistant, and after Armond left the company, Rickman began working alongside Donald Thompson, who called Telex races, which were not streamed live.

"They (Telex) races were printed off and you made up the races. This was when I realised I could do it (commentating). Donald would say 'they're off' and I would say the horses' names, but Donald knows how to move in-between each horse name. I was actually calling the races and I was saying, 'if I am telling Donald how to call the races, I can do it', and that's where I started from, and I took off and that was it," he said, passion gleaming from his eyes.

ART OF RACE CALLING

The news team was able to observe the true art of race calling by Rickman last Saturday, from his envied bird's-eye view box at Caymanas Park. In a comfortable posture and his hand gripped tightly on his binoculars, Rickman was excited to begin the first race.

"Field in line for the first, they're off immediately! Salah steps off, just a bit slowly along with BloodSong there in the back of the field. Wilson gets a good start with Dejae's Boy, these two going at it," said the commentator as he took punters along the journey.

"The first race is always the hardest because you fresh and you just coming into it, but I've been doing this thing for 40 years. I'm prepared for long ago, I know exactly what I have to do, but I don't think I can close my eyes and call a race," he said, before interrupting in laughter.

Known for his visual-esque use of figurative language, having completed commentating the first race effortlessly, he said, "It's the gift of the gab, and I try to make it as interesting and descriptive as possible."

The thoroughbred commentator has done commentating at the Caribbean Classics at the El-Comandante racetrack, Puerto Rico, as well as races in Barbados. He has also been conferred with the Order of Distinction for his service to horse racing.

The 65-year-old said he prepares for each race, studying the colours of each horse by the parade ring and again when they make their appearance on the track. He said the key components to his career are having a keen eye for detail, a quick eye and confidence.

"After a while it grows on you and it's a challenge, you know. Every day is a challenge because no two races run the same. But some of them will give you a hard time, and if you don't know what you doing, you will get yourself in trouble because sometimes the horses are in a tight pack and I make a mistake and I'm sticking out my neck because I cannot see. We have had challenges with the weather but I make it work. You cannot be pausing so you ad-lib through, it comes with practice and time," Rickman, who has no intentions of giving up his seat in the box soon, told THE STAR.

"I have achieved things that I've never ever thought I'd achieve. I don't think I will become a punter because I am very salt, but I also do auctioneering. I am training my backup right now and he is improving, [but] I am not going anywhere for now."